Machine for printing stencil characters consecutively



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. GA. BA|.f:'s. y MACHINE FOR PRINTING STENCIL CHARACTERS CONSBCUTIVELY. N0. 486,964. Patented NOV. 29, 1892.

I FI-EF1. 'u' All w 35 l 6 u u/ I 5? 52 (6 Y f l IO- g I a k/ 411/ Il "nl ,Ilmlll' .Il Il I 3l J6] 1 'l /Pi /q 2 #In l r l/ n 36" 7 l i: 6 38/ 3.3

9 :i: 3 l0 725' AfA J0 al S 2,] 413 226 31, l l Tf `q6 28 28 2 I 28 9"/ I 46 1/1/ Y A i @5u 7i @UWA/wwf 'ma Nonms Prrans ca. morn-urna.. wAsrvNaToN. D e

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 2. f

E. G. BATES. MACHINE PCR PRINTING STRNCIL CHARACTERS CCNSRCUTIVRLY.

No. 486,964. Patented Nov. 2,9, 1892.

I .5j il T EN TAV?.

m" L FICIAL @5% @Hom/mty UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f-

EDVIN G. BATES, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BATES MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FORP'RINTING STENCIL CHARACTERS CONSECUTIVELY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,964, dated November 29, 1892.

Appnmion inea June s, 1889.A

To a/ZZ whom t may con/cern,.- v

Be it known that I, EDWIN G. BATES, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York,

have invented a Machine forPrinting Stencil Characters Oonsecutively, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus with which to number packing-boxes, bales, &c., consecutively.

My invention consists, first, in the use of a number of endless tapes having the numbers to be printed stencil-cut thereon and mechanism for feeding the same to an inning apparatus to apply the ink to print consecutively; second, in including in the space inclosed by the endless stencil-tapes the inking apparatus and the mechanism for feeding said stencil-tapes; third, in actuating the feeding mechanism for the stencil-tapes by the movement which brings them into the printing position; fourth, in the mechanism for operating the inking-brushes after the stenciltapes have been brought into the printing position; fifth, in the mechanism for supplyinga determined quantity of ink to each printing character when in the printing position and shutting otf the supply when the printing character is out of the printing position; sixth,in the adaptation of mechanism for feeding the stencil-tapes to enable the inking apparatus to be arranged within the space inclosed by said tapes.

My invention consists, further, in the various novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central transverse sectional elevation of a stencilmachine embodying my invention with the parts in position to commence printing. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the plane of the line 2 2, Fig. l, with the parts in the printing position. Fig. 3 represents one of the legs of the frame viewed from the outside. Fig. 4 is an end view of the feeding mechanism, and Fig.5is a plan of one of the stencil-tapes developed.

In existing machines for numbering consecutively the numbers are formed on what are Serial No. 312,959. (No modell) known as type-wheels, the manner of feeding which to print consecutively is well understood. In the patent granted to F. W. Wicht, No. 391,289, dated October 16, 1888, the feeding mechanism is arranged outside of the typewheels and inl my application, Seri-a1 No. 428,780, tiled April 12,1892, isshown a feeding mechanism arranged within the type-wheels.

My present machine, being designed for the printing upon packing-boxes, bales, dac., where a type-wheel would be difficult, if not impossible, to use, employs in lieu of type stencil-cut numbers, the mechanism for feeding which to print consecutively maybe on the principle of any of the well-known forms.

In the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, I have shown feeding mechanism of the same general character as that shown in my application above referred to, modified to meet the requirements of stencil-printing and to economize space. 1 is the rock-shaft of this feeding mechanism,upon which is mounted a hub 2, partially cut away, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit of the oscillations of shaft 1. Mounted to rotate upon the sleeve 2 are a number of annular sprocket-wheels 3 4 5 6, each of which is pentagonal in form on its outer periphery, and has five pins, one pin being located at the apex of each angle of the wheel. On its inner periphery each of these Wheels has formed upon it four shallow notches and one deep notch. The rock-shaft has depending lugs 84 8, which carry a shaft 9, a coiled spring y10, and pawl 1l. Thetendency of this spring is to press the pawl downward at all times.. The pawl carries teeth l2, 13, 14, and l5,

adapted to engage with the notches cut on y the inner periphery of the sprocket-wheels, and also an auxiliary tooth 16, for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. As will be seen, the tooth 12 of the pawl is longer than any of the other-teeth, and is designed to operate the mechanism to feed the unit printing characters. The tooth 18 is next in size, andris designed to feed the tens printing characters. The tooth 14 is next in size, and is designed to feed the hundreds printing characters. The tooth15 is the smallest of the teeth on the pawl, and is designed to feed the thousands-printing characters, thousands being IOO e resem the limit of the machine shown in the drawings. A

As is usual 'in consecutiveprinting machines, the rate of movement of the tens printing characters with relation to the unit printing characters is as ten is to one, of the hundreds printing characters tothe unit characters as one hundred is to one, and vso on progressively. This movement is accomplished in existing numbering-machines by an arrangementof stepped teeth on a pawl engaging with notches on the type-wheels, the tooth of the pawl opposite the unit-wheelbeing longer than the other teeth ofthe pawl and serving to hold those teeth out of engagement with the notches opposite them, respectively, except when the unit-tooth drops into thedeep Vnotch ofthe unit-wheehwhenthe vtens t okof1h, i being the next longest, will `be permitted to? 'drop into a notch of the tens-wheeland ,feed

that wheel lone step, and vso on 'to V4'feed theV other type-wheels to print consecutively.' The feed-wheels of my machine, however, being necessarily made small, are providedwthonly' ,five notches cut upon them. It 'is' necessary, therefore, to provide a regulatorio preventthe wheels for feeding higher denominations ,than units from being moved except everyalterynate time whena tooth of the pawlis intengagement` with a ydeep notch of the wheel next below in denomination. -Thisis accomplished by means of the auxiliary tooth 16 on the p awl which engages `with anl annular wheel 17, which has cut upon its inner periphery six notches 1altertlately deep and shallovwand which iis arranged on the hub 2, so that the tooth l,16 of the pawl engages one of its shallow notches on the completion of the first revolutionef the unit feed-wheel, and on the completion of the second revolution of saidfeedfwheel engages'adeep notch. 'lhetooth`16'of'the wheel 17 being deeper'than the tooth 13o f the tens feed-wheel will prevent the latter ytooth from engaging with a notch on the tens feedwheel until the tooth 16 dropslinto adeep notchon the wheel 17. 18, 19, 20, and 2,1 are endless tapes, which are preferably of sheet metal, and upon each of which is steneil-eutth/enum-` bers V,from 0 to,9 in the manner usfnalfor forming stencil characters. These numblers are arranged at4 equal vdistances`v apart, and between each two numbers is ahole22 with which the pinson the sproeket-wheelsare designed to engage. Thelength of each ofthes'e tapes is twice the length of the perimeter ,fof e tiallyusnrrounding ink-brushes 23, which are mounted'upon the shaft 29.

The entire inking apparatus is located within the stencil-cut tapes opposite the feed- Wheels and serves to maintain the said tapes in proper position.

.The rock-shaft 1 is operated in the followingvmanner: "30 is the top plate of a stationary frame which has the side standards 3l. Vorking through the top plate of this stationary frame are vtwo hollow followers 32,with which, at the top, engages the cross-bar 33, having ,handles 34 and 35. At the bottom these followers 4carry the casing 23. The ends of the `rock-shaft 1 project beyond the sides of the casing 23 and have at each end apiece 36, secured thereto by a.s etscrew,yas shown. This piece 36 has a straight slot 37, into which projects a pin from the standard 31., On each of ,the standards 31 is a straight slot 3,8, intowhieli theends of fthe rock-shaft 1 project. New ast-he plun gers 32 are pressed downward by the handles 34 and 35 the frame23,

and consequently the rock shaft 1, will alsolbe carried downward. During this downward niove'mentthe pin in engagement with the slot on `the piece 36 will rock vthe rock-.shaft inonedirection'. 0n theupward movement of lthe casing this pin will rock the rock-shaft in" the ,oppositev direction. The downward movement rof ,the vcasing 23 is limited Aby ,the cross-bai` 33 strikingthe top of other followers 3.9, within lwhich thefollowers 31 slide. A further downward movement of the'cross-bar 33 will push `the followers 39 before them, the limitof `the downward movement'of the followers39 being determined by the contact of the elevations 40 of the plate 30 and the crossbar. The object o f the followers 39 is to actuate the ink-brushes.

4l is a cross-bar carried at the botto mof the plungers 3,9, forked at each end and projecting at each end through a slot 42 kin each of the lstandards 31, so as to surround a spindle v 43, having a worm 44 cut upon it,with which l"en gages aninwardly-proj ecting pin 4,4,a on the forked portion of the cross-bar 41. The bottom o f this spindle 43 is cut away, as show-n, and carries a bevel-wheel 44. The ends of the shaft 29.01; which the ink-brushes are mounted carry bevel-gears 45, the shaft projecting through a. slotA 46 in the standards.V Nowas the followers 39 are pushed downward 'the cross-.bar 41 will be carriedwith them, andthe pins of the cross-bar, working -in worms44 of' the spindles 43, will cause the said spindles tobe rotated, and the b'evel-wheelstfof theshaft 29 of the ink-brushes having been brought into engagement with the 1bevelwheels 44 of the spindle 43 by the downward movement ofA the follower 32, carryingthe casing 23, the inkbrusheys will vbe rotated `by the retary movement ofthe spindle.

To properly time the movements of the various parts so that the number to be printed will be broughtwinto the printing positionbefore the ink-brushes are caused torevolveto IIO spread the ink, the spring 46 is arranged within each of the plungers 32 and the spring r47 is arranged within each of the plungers 39, the latter springs being stifer than the former and each set of springs acting at one end against the same point,which is a pin 4S, passing through both the followers, the followers being formed with the slots 49 and 50 to permit the pin to work. Now the spring 47 being stiffer than the spring 46, the latter may be compressed until the cross-bar strikes the head of the plunger 39, when that plunger will be forced down, compressing the spring 47. The followers being connected to the cross-head 33 by pins 4S and slots 48", the followers 32 will remain stationary while the followers 39 are being forced down. On the return movement the spring 47, being the stiffer, will force the plunger 39 upward first, thereby reversing the rotation of the brush and insuring the thorough spreading of the ink over the stencil. The spring 46 will then force its plunger and the casing upward into the printing position. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

The ink-reservoir is lilled from the outside of the casing through the tube 50closed by a suitable cap. The quantity of ink contained within the ducts is governed by means of double-seated valves 51,'having the valvestems 52. When the ink-reservoir is in its highest position, the upper valves are withdrawn from their seats by gravity and a quantity of ink admitted to the ducts; but when the ink-reservoir is in the downward position the stems of the valves will have been forced upward by contact with the surface to be printed upon and the valves closed, permitting, however, the quantity of ink in the ducts to run out on the surface to be printed and to be brushed thereon by the ink-brushes.

53 are detents for preventing backward movement of the feed-wheels, and 54 are caps for preventing dust, thc., from getting into the casing 23.

l. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a series of endless tapes having numerals cut therein, of mechanism adapted to move said tapes along one after another, whereby the stencil-openings are brought into position to print numbers consecutively, and an inkin g apparatus located within said tapes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a numbering-machineLthe combination of the reciprocating casing, endless stencil-cut tapes mounted thereon, feeding mechanism located within said tapes, operated by the reciprocation of the casing, and an inking apparatus also located within said tapes, substantially as set forth.

3. In a stenciling-lnachine, the combination, with a series of endless stencil-cut tapes, of feed-wheels located within said tapes, adapted to move said tapes to print consecutively, and an inking apparatus also located within said tapes opposite said feed-wheels and serving to maintain said tapes in proper position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stenciling-machine, the combination of a stencil-cut endless tape, feeding mechanism for moving it, and a pivoted Abrush lo-l which are in printing position, substantially as set forth. l

l6. In a numbering-machine, the combination of a series o f endless stencil-cut tapes, a series of feed-wheels engaging with said tapes,

each wheel adapted to make two revolutions f to effect a'complete revolution of the tape fed by it and having four shallow notches and one deep notch, a pawl having stepped teeth adapted to engage with said notches, and a regulator adapted to prevent a tooth of the pawl dropping into the deep notch of its wheel, except on every alternate revolution of the wheel next below in denomination, substantially as set forth.

7. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a stationary frame and movable casing, of notched feed-wheels, atoothed shaft upon which said feed-wheels are mounted, a straight slot. in said stationary frame, in which an end of said shaft slides, and a piece 36, provided with slot 37, mounted on said shaft, engaging with a pin on thestationary frame, substantially as set forth.

8. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a reciprocating casing and inking apparatus contained thereon, of a stationary frame, means for reciprocating said casing with relation to said frame, a gear on a spindle supported in said stationary7 frame, a gear on the shaft of the ink-brushes of the inking apparatus, said gears being adapted to be brought into engagement by the downward movement of said casing, and means for rotating said spindle, substantially as set forth.

9. In a numbering-machine, the combination, with a series of endless stencil-cut tapes, of a series of feed-wheels for said tapes, each adapted to make two revolutions for each revolution of the tape fed by it, means for moving said wheels to feed the tapes to print consecutively, comprising four shallow and one deep notch cut on the inner periphery of said feed-wheels, a rock-shaft, a pawl carried by said rock-shaft, having stepped teeth and one auxiliary tooth of greater length than any tooth but the units-tooth, and an annular wheel having alternate deep and shallow notches, with which said auxiliary tooth engages, substantially as set forth.

10. In a consecutive-numbering machine,

IOO

IIO

the combination, with endless moving tapes, of an inking apparatus comprising an -in-kreservoir, ink-ducts, Valves controlling the supply of ink from the reservoir to the duets, and ink-brushes for applying the ink, substantially as set forth.

1l. In a consecutive-numbering machine, an inkin g apparatus comprising an ink-reservoir, ink-duets, double-seated Valves located within said ink-duets, and ink-brushes for applying the ink, substantially as set forth.

12. In a consecutive-numbering machine, an inking apparatus comprising an ink-reservoir, ink-duets, and double-seated Valves adapted to operate by gravity to close the bottom Valve and by pressure of the printing- 

